Here are notes from the regular AMS Council meeting of Wednesday, December 3, 2025:
Friendlier: Managing Director Justin Lieu updated Council on the Friendlier reusable container pilot project, noting that the return rate for containers is lower than hoped, but has been improving since the project began in July.
He also reported on negative feedback concerning such things as the cost of the deposit on the containers, and he said the introduction of the Friendlier containers may have contributed to a decrease in sales at the food and beverage outlets, especially Blue Chip Cafe.
Councillors discussed three options for going forward: 1) making the project less all or nothing, especially at Blue Chip (giving customers the option of getting a single-use cup instead of the reusable container); 2) continuing as is; 3) ending the project altogether.
Code and Policy: Council passed two Code amendments (on Council vacancies and lobby briefs) and approved an updated version of the Health & Safety Policy.
Appointments: Council filled vacancies on the Building Operations Committee and the Executive Performance & Accountability (EPA) Committee and also named GSS rep Bryan Buraga to the new position of Vice-Chair of Council. (The Vice-Chair will fill in when the Speaker is absent.)
UBC fee: AMS President Riley Huntley said he is looking at the administrative fee UBC charges us for collecting our fee; this is not done at other schools in western Canada and it costs us $250,000 a year: he is looking to change that.
Postsecondary review: VP External Solomon Yi-Kieran reported on the recent lobby week in Victoria, which included a press conference by student organizations responding to the government’s announcement of a review of postsecondary education. The students raised concerns that the review is being rushed and that the 2% cap on tuition is in jeopardy.
Survey Says: VP Student Life Kevin Heieis said the recently closed Student Engagement Survey received just under 5,000 responses, which may be a record for the SES. Results in January.
Filming on campus: In response to a question from GSS rep Bryan Buraga about announcing when space will be closed off for filming, President Huntley said we can do more on that front: putting notices up on the website, for instance.
Student Legal Fund Society: Luke Parolin, the AMS appointee to the board of the Student Legal Fund Society (SLFS), reported that it is difficult to understand what the SLFS is doing: there has been a lack of communication, also a lack of meetings, and no legal cases pursued. Councillors asked what can be done. President Huntley said our agreement with the SLFS is up for review.
Next meeting:
The next regular Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026 in the Michael Kingsmill Forum in the Nest at 6 pm.
Sheldon Goldfarb
Archivist & Clerk of Council
Back to news